Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Working out the Paradox ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Hello, InuHinata!

I'm very glad you liked. Umm…I'm not that sure about Wolfram and Yuuri getting together. Oh I want them to be together, but Yuuri is very stubborn. His character isn't all that easy to bend. So, I'll see what comes out of this.

Thanks for the review.

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou! I'm not making any money.

Warnings: Yaoi (male x male), Yuuri x Wolfram.

Summary: Ehhh… I think the title should speak for itself. The main goal of this fic is to make a completely straight guy fall in love with a boy… Will I reach that goal? - I don't know that yet.

 

A/N 1: I hate Greta; she is nonexistent in this story, and Yuuri has never adopted her.

A/N 2: beta-read by punkin02. Check out her gallery on y!Gallery: http://yaoi.y-gallery.net/user/punkin02/

 

Working out the Paradox

 

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

 

Part 3

 

“Well, it seems that everything is fine,” Gisela said after she had finished examining Wolfram. She straightened and went to sit at her desk to take down some notes concerning Wolfram's health.

 

Of course he was alright. Wolfram flung his shirt back on and started buttoning it. He walked over to take a peek over Gisela's shoulder at her writing. As usual, a doctor's writing was impossible to read. Wolfram snickered inwardly.

 

“His Majesty did a great job bandaging it,” Gisela motioned at Wolfram's right hand with her head. She had inspected it and changed the bandages; the bite was successfully healing.

 

“Yeah, he surprised me…” Wolfram admitted. He finished buttoning his shirt then tied up his ascot and fastened the sword at his side.

 

It had been so different than Gisela's touch… It had been very pleasant to feel Yuuri's careful hands on him, to have all that concern directed at him - he had felt warm and fuzzy all over. It made him feel so…made him crave more of that touch…and maybe that had been mistake… He knew that Yuuri himself didn't hold much meaning in it - Yuuri was only doing what he thought was right.

 

Being near Yuuri made Wolfram's heart flutter and his breath hitch. He hated himself for this annoying weakness. It would have been no big deal, but as Yuuri wasn't answering his attentions it made Wolfram upset and snappish, his shouts and glares covering up for his displeasure of the real thing.

 

Wolfram cast a last glance at Gisela's writings, then left the medical ward and went to the stables to see how his horse was doing.

 

XXXXX

 

Yuuri wiped sweat off his forehead. He took a break from reading and signing documents. Gunter had wanted to use his break for teaching him, but Yuuri protested harshly by telling him that a lesson was by no means a break. So now he was standing outside, on a balcony on the ground floor of the castle and watching the men gentling and training the horses in the courtyard.

 

It was unbearably hot again. Yuuri was hiding in the shadow of one of the columns, but it wasn't helping much. It seemed that the scorching rays managed to get around it to their prey. It was killing him. Yuuri leaned against the parapet, sighing. Despite how he had been reluctant earlier, now he was already looking forward to the ride with Wolfram; Wolfram had said he knew of a lake near the castle.

 

“Your Majesty,” Conrad held out a glass of water for a startled Yuuri.

 

“It's “Yuuri”, Conrad,” Yuuri replayed automatically. “Thanks,” grateful, he took the glass; Conrad somehow always managed to guess what he wanted. Yuuri pressed the cool glass to his lips and gulped the equally cool water down.

 

“I really hate this season,” Yuuri complained after emptying the glass. He put the glass onto the parapet. He felt a bit relieved, the turmoil in his body and heart subdued by the cool water.

 

“It's not the worst,” Conrad gave Yuuri a compassionate smile. “The worst are the storms that come with it. One minute the sun is sizzling and the next you can't tell the earth from the sky…”

 

“Gunter seems to love it…” Yuuri shook his head, not comprehending.

 

“He comes from a different part of Shin Makoku where such weather is common,” Conrad explained. “I suppose that now he feels at home…” Conrad's eyes concentrated on Wolfram as he rode his horse out into the courtyard to exercise him a bit. Wolfram was fond of his white pedigree horse and took good care of him.

 

Conrad noticed most of the men stop what they were doing to simply admire Wolfram. Wolfram was something to look at, and the blonde looked even better on his white horse.

 

Wolfram rode to one of his men to exchange several words with him. After that Wolfram urged his horse forward and started to circle the yard in a quick foots pace then progressed into a quicker ride.

 

“Wolfram! Hey, Wolfram!” Yuuri waved his hand when Wolfram was nearing the balcony.

 

Wolfram's head turned to the balcony, and he nudged his horse towards it.

 

“Taking a break, I see…” Wolfram asked after his horse had trotted to the balcony. He drew in the reins.

 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. How is your hand?” he looked at Wolfram's right hand which was resting on Wolfram's thigh.

 

Wolfram looked at his hand then flexed it. He flinched. “Hurts a bit, but it's nothing. Gisela said that you tended the bite like a real professional,” he let himself compliment Yuuri. He chuckled as a pleased look appeared on Yuuri's face. He was pleased that Yuuri was pleased.

 

“Will you exercise His Majesty's horse or will you leave it to me?” Conrad asked. He had heard the story of Morgif biting Wolfram at the breakfast table.

 

Wolfram shrugged. “Well, as I am already at it…” he patted his horse on the neck then stroked his mane. Content with the attention, the horse started swinging his head

 

“Fine, then,” Conrad nodded. “I'll go start preparations for your small outing this evening.”

 

“Preparations?” Wolfram gave his brother a questioning look. “Actually I thought that I'd take some of my bodyguards and that would be it.”

 

“Mmm… It would be nice to have something like a picnic, with a coverlet on the grass and food, ne, Wolfram?” Yuuri looked at Wolfram.

 

“Well…it sounds like fun…” Wolfram brushed his golden bangs off his eyes. He wasn't exactly sure what Yuuri meant by a “picnic”. At least as far as he could see by Yuuri's tone, it didn't sound dangerous.

 

“About the guards,” Conrad came back to the question. “I think it's okay to take your bodyguards, but also take several non-magic users just to be on the safe side,” he told Wolfram.

 

Wolfram nodded. “Yes, I will.”

 

Yuuri took his empty glass and straightened up. He sighed, “I suppose I have to come back to Gunter or he'll come running after me…”

 

Wolfram graced Yuuri with a soft chuckle and urged his horse forwards into the yard to finish the circle. Conrad gave Wolfram's retreating back last glance and went after Yuuri.

 

Even though Wolfram rarely noticed the stares directed at him, or didn't pay attention to them, Conrad could perfectly read the randy looks some men were giving his little brother. They stared at Wolfram's face, backside, thighs…gods, they ate Wolfram alive. It infuriated him to know those men thought of Wolfram panting and moaning underneath them. He hated that - Wolfram was his younger brother and not an object of someone's perverted thoughts!

 

Suppressing his displeasure, Conrad caught up with Yuuri. “It seems you two are in much better mood today…”

 

“Umm…Yeah,” Yuuri nodded, agreeing. He rubbed his chin, thinking. He thought that maybe the anticipation of going away for awhile was making him more pacific, and Wolfram seemed also to have stopped bristling. Or maybe it was because the sun had already scorched their brain and left no brain cells to be discontent with something that didn't go as they wished.

 

Conrad had wanted to talk with Yuuri about him and Wolfram, but after having witnessed that quite nice exchange between Yuuri and Wolfram, decided that there was no need to bring the subject up. Wolfram had recently been spaced out, and Yuuri snappish, which was an unusual behavior for both of them, but it seemed that the weird tension between the two had resolved. He hoped that it would stay that way. More than those randy looks at his brother, Conrad hated seeing hurt and sadness in Wolfram's eyes.

 

Conrad was also bothered by Yuuri's wish to spend some time away from the castle, and Wolfram's missing reaction to it. He wasn't sure what to think of that. Was Wolfram letting go of Yuuri? Was it possible at all? But he thought that it would be much better than Wolfram chasing Yuuri fruitlessly. It might hurt Wolfram greatly but it was better than that uncertainty and constant spurn Wolfram went through each day. Time healed all wounds after all, didn't it?

 

“When is your brother coming exactly?” Conrad asked while they were climbing up the stairs to the first floor.

 

“Sometime in the evening. I'm not very sure. I think we'll already be back from the picnic by that time. Well, if we aren't, then you'll occupy him,” Yuuri shrugged. “As far as I saw, you get along.”

 

Conrad didn't say anything to that only nodded. “I'll see you before you leave, Your Majesty,” he said after they reached the door to Yuuri's new study.

 

“It's “Yuuri”. Yeah, see you,” he waved before opening the door to reveal a scowling Gunter who burst into a smile immediately after seeing Yuuri.

 

XXXXX

 

Yuuri almost ran downstairs to the ground floor after he was done with his work. He found Wolfram in one of the halls talking with one of his personal guards. After seeing the king, Wolfram ordered him to fetch the rest of the men and walked over to Yuuri.

 

“I thought you'd never finish,” he complained.

 

“Me too,” Yuuri heaved a sigh, brushing a hand over his forehead to wipe nonexistent sweat to emphasize his words. “Are we ready?”

 

Wolfram nodded. “Yes, I took some food and drinks and also several guards Conrad had picked out. It's more than half an hour of riding. You should have a snack before we leave…”

 

“I probably should,” Yuuri nodded, despite his words already walking towards the door, “but I'm afraid that while I'd be eating, Gunter might come up with some ideas of more work for me.”

 

Wolfram smiled and followed Yuuri outside. The men were already there, prepared for departure. There were four soldiers who wore Wolfram's colors and three with khaki colored uniforms. Wolfram and Yuuri went to the waiting horses and saddled them.

 

When they were behind the gate, Wolfram nudged his horse closer to Yuuri's. “Here,” he held out a small bundle for Yuuri. “As I somehow knew what you'd say, I asked one of the maids to make several sandwiches,” he chuckled.

 

The smell of food reached Yuuri's nose, and he felt his mouth watering. The king grabbed the bundle quickly, starting to unwrap it already. He thanked Wolfram and dug in immediately.

 

Wolfram continued to ride close to Yuuri.

 

“Why so many guards?” Yuuri mouthed around the bread and sausage. “Three at the front, one at each side and two behind us. It's not a picnic - it's a military raid…”

 

“How I hate when you are lamenting like that!” Wolfram glared at him. “You are the king of the country! What do you think we would do if you are killed?! Stop complaining, you wimp!”

 

Yuuri chewed on his sandwich, pouting. Of course, Wolfram was right, but it didn't make it any better. How was he supposed to relax with all these soldiers around him?

 

The weather wasn't as hot as it had been during the day, and Yuuri was able to breathe more freely. They were riding along a byroad through a forest. The shadows of the trees drew longer and the air grew a bit cooler as they went deeper. But Yuuri could still feel sweat running down his back, the shirt clinging to his back. The forest was affected by the heat too, the dried moss withering and crumbling under the hooves.

 

After a bit more than half an hour a clearing suddenly sprung out before them. Yuuri stopped his horse to admire the view: the lake was beneath them, downhill, surrounded by the forest, and one could see almost all of it. The shiny lake was enclosed by sharp slopes, only several convenient places left to approach it. The clear water looked very tempting, and Yuuri wasted no time in urging his horse down the hill.

 

“It's really beautiful, Wolfram!” Yuuri shouted.

 

“Of course! I wouldn't have brought you otherwise!” Wolfram shouted back.

 

They stopped at the very shore, Yuuri sliding quickly off the horse and running to the lake while peeling his wet shirt off his back then kicking his boots off.

 

“C'mon, Wolfram!” Yuuri was jumping on one foot while trying to get rid of his trousers. “Banzai!” he roared, launching at the lake headlong.

 

Wolfram watched the whole ordeal with a soft smile on his lips then ordered to set the cover onto the grass and distribute the food then he started undressing himself.

 

Yuuri splashed about in the water, enjoying the coolness he had wished for so long. He turned around to urge Wolfram into the lake. His brow rose at the weird scene that met him: Wolfram was already bare-chested and was taking his trousers off, and their entire escort, except the two who were busying themselves with the tablecloth and the food, were gawking at him. Actually at his backside, because now Wolfram bent down to take his trousers from the grass.

 

“Hey, you lot!” Yuuri shouted. “Make a fire or something!”

 

Wolfram raised his head at Yuuri. “Are you crazy?” he folded his trousers and laid them near the tablecloth. “A fire in this drought? You want to burn the entire forest down?!”

 

Goddamn, Yuuri thought, I'm driving the perverts away from you, and all you can do is to shout at me! “Fine, no fire,” he shouted to the shore. “But get into the water!”

 

“What's the rush?” Wolfram muttered, shaking his head. He walked over to the shore and waded into the water. He could understand why Yuuri was so excited - the water was perfect. It had enough time during this hot week to warm up and was not too cold but not too warm either, it was so much nicer to swim in the lake than in the baths.

 

“Yuuri!” Wolfram spluttered as Yuuri splashed a huge wave on him. “Stop that!” he shouted as Yuuri splashed him again. Wolfram brushed his wet hair away from his face and was in time to see Yuuri launching another wave at him. The wave hit Wolfram directly in the face. “That's it!” Wolfram snarled.

 

After several seconds Yuuri was coughing and trying to catch his breath while Wolfram was repeatedly dunking him into the water. Yuuri tried to wrestle out from Wolfram's grasp but was only reminded that Wolfram was stronger than he looked. But Wolfram still had his hand bandaged and was careful not to hurt it, which gave Yuuri much more chances in winning.

 

“I hope you won't get sucked back into your world… You had better not…” Wolfram muttered, dunking Yuuri's head again. He yelped as Yuuri finally managed to throw him off.

 

They jostled and scrambled for awhile until their energy ran out, leaving both boys panting and tired.

 

“Gods, I'm tired. And all wrinkled up,” Wolfram said. He pushed Yuuri into the water for the last time and started wading to the shore.

 

“And hungry,” added Yuuri, following Wolfram to the shore. He gave a meaningful look to one of Wolfram's bodyguards who ran to Wolfram with a towel and started drying him very thoroughly, his hands all over Wolfram. For gods' sake, Wolfram wasn't a baby! Yuuri was content to notice that the bodyguard paled and scurried away.

 

He didn't know if it had always been like this, but it meant nothing good when the subordinates were openly lusting after the king's fiancé. The ignorance of the fact showed that they didn't respect their king. And if these soldiers behaved themselves like this, it meant it was the same everywhere.

 

Yuuri took a towel that was handed to him by one of Conrad's selected guards and went to the tablecloth where the food was ready.

 

With a huff, Wolfram plopped onto the coverlet next to Yuuri. The prince tossed the towel to one of his guards then turned back to the food. Yuuri thanked for the food, grabbed a roasted chicken wing, waved it at Wolfram, indicating to dig in, and started eating.

 

“Mmm! It's so good!” Yuuri hummed around the bone. Forgetting about everything for several minutes, he worked on filling his stomach.

 

Wolfram reached for the flask with wine and filled two cups. He held out one for Yuuri. He noticed Yuuri's gaze settle on the guards who were flocking a bit farther, watching them.

 

“What? Want to share with them?” Wolfram asked. He knew Yuuri well enough to know he felt uncomfortable about eating when others didn't.

 

Yuuri shook his head in denial. He took the cup Wolfram had offered. Already some time ago he had decided that if even Wolfram drank it, nothing would happen to him either. “They didn't really earn that today. Except those two of yours,” he pointed at first at the first man then at the second. He sipped his wine. The wine was good, half-sweet and refreshing.

 

Wolfram blinked at Yuuri, surprised. “Yuuri…lately you've started behaving strange… And how have those two earned your benevolence?” he asked, interested.

 

“Wolfram, are you aware that half of the castle guards gape at your ass all the time?”

 

Wolfram choked on his wine. After coughing and getting it down, he looked at Yuuri. “Yes, I'm perfectly aware, thank you very much. So what? Does it bother you?”

 

“Not really,” Yuuri shook his head. “But it kinda discredits my position as king.”

 

Wolfram glared at him. “So you are okay with the fact that they are ogling my ass, but you are worried about your position… Good fiancé are you! Wimp!” He was hurt. But it was already a norm. The hurt he felt had turned into a norm long ago. He knew one couldn't be jealous of something he didn't want in the first place.

 

Yuuri raised his hand. “Don't start…” he groaned.

 

“And how exactly do you intend to stop people from staring at me?” Wolfram snorted, sipping his wine to try to wash the bitterness he felt away.

 

Yuuri was right, even if it hurt, he could understand him, and he didn't like those gaping faces either - it was more disturbing than pleasant, those intent stares. But what was he supposed to do? - To shout and punch everyone's face of those who stared at him? And there were not only the men under his dominion… He had tried to deal with the problem several years ago and it had been a total fiasco - after that he had heard staff rumors that for the time being he had been christened a hard-to-get princess. Nobody stared at him while he could see them anymore, but he knew perfectly that they did, and it was working on his nerves. Struggling had only made it worse.

 

Yuuri sighed. “They will stare further, of course - I am aware of your looks - but not as blatantly.”

 

Wolfram put his cup down onto the cover. “Yuuri, what the hell is going on with you? You started worrying me…” he looked at Yuuri with a concerned look on his face.

 

Yuuri's forehead furrowed. “What do you mean?”

 

“The whole year that I have known you, you have never thought about such things. Well…if you did, you never expressed your thoughts… And now…it's…I'm not saying that it's a bad thing…probably the opposite, but it's a bit scary, this change,” Wolfram's emerald eyes met the dark ones.

 

Yuuri ruffled through his hair, thoughtfully. “You know, you are right. I have been wondering myself… Lately I feel…” he faltered. “I don't even know what I feel. It's just strange. I catch myself thinking various things I know normally I wouldn't think of…”

 

Wolfram listened to him intently then rubbed his forehead. “Maybe it's because of your sixteenth birthday? It's some of sort turning point in a Mazoku's life…”

 

Yuuri looked at him, interested. “You think so?” He felt a bit relieved.

 

Wolfram shrugged. “I'm just guessing…” With a huff, he fell with his back down onto the cover and folded his arms behind his head.

 

“Hmm…” Yuuri rolled on his stomach and put his hands under his chin. He reached for cream puffs and stuck one into his mouth. “Gunter emaciated me today…” he complained around the puff. “Your Majesty this, Your Majesty that…” he rolled his eyes.

 

“You weren't that emaciated when you tried to drown me,” Wolfram snorted.

 

Yuuri argued that he didn't mean it that way. He reached for another cream puff. Gods, they were melting in his mouth!

 

“Maybe that's it…” Wolfram thought. “Maybe you are simply too tired. Well, then your oncoming trip is a really good idea.”

 

“Probably,” Yuuri yawned. “Ah…so good.” He closed his eyes, enjoying the soft breeze and whispering grass and forest around him. He felt so relaxed, like he had only felt long ago. “We should go out like this more often...” he sighed contently.

 

Wolfram didn't say anything just nodded, his nod unseen to Yuuri who had his eyes closed. “Why do you want to leave the castle? What's the real reason?” he asked.

 

“Well, yeah, partly because I am tired, but it's more… I want to find my path…” Yuuri said.

 

“A what?” Wolfram blinked at the darkened sky.

 

“I need to think about many things. Our engagement included,” he said, not looking at Wolfram.

 

Wolfram was silent for some time then nodded. “I see…” he drawled.

 

“Listen,” Yuuri sat up suddenly, “let's not spoil such a nice evening with these talks, ne?”

 

Wolfram scowled but swallowed the bitterness down. They ate some more then simply laid back and enjoyed the surroundings.

 

“You shouldn't stay that long in the sun,” Yuuri warned Wolfram. “Your skin is pretty fair.”

 

“It's fine,” Wolfram yawned, too lazy to move. “The sun has almost set.”

 

It happened in a flash: one moment they were lying and enjoying the sun, the next yelping, grabbing their clothes and running under the nearest tree to hide from the sudden rain.

 

Yuuri flung his shirt on. The rain was pelting down, the leaves of the tree they were under hardly protecting them, as they squeezed further, to the very stem of it.

 

“You should take it off,” Wolfram motioned at Yuuri's shirt. “It's not cold and you'll need it dry later. The rain should stop soon.”

 

Yuuri looked at Wolfram who was still bare-chested, his uniform wrapped up in his hands, pressed against him to keep it from getting wet. Wolfram was wearing his boots. Yuuri looked at his bare feet basking in the dirty streamlet that was running down the hill. He looked at the boots next to him and saw droplets falling into them. Then he looked back at Wolfram. The blondes were by no means stupid. Yuuri put his boots on then undressed his shirt and folded it.

 

Yuuri looked farther, where their guards were hunching under other trees. He was hardly able to see them because of flogging rain filling the space, the air around them white. Conrad had been right - had he not been standing on the earth, he could hardly tell the difference between the sky and ground.

 

“You control water, can't you do something?” Wolfram muttered after twenty minutes of rain. The two of them were drenched and shivering.

 

“You control fire, can't you warm us up?” Yuuri snapped.

 

“Oh, I can warm you up, but I doubt you'd like the way…” Wolfram countered, giving Yuuri an annoyed look.

 

Yuuri flushed red. “Your modesty impresses me…” he muttered. He wanted to shift away when Wolfram pressed to him, but feeling how cold Wolfram was, let him have his way, telling himself it will be just this once. “This is by no means warming me up. You are as cold as a piece of ice!” Yuuri shivered.

 

Wolfram snickered again, but because of his chattering teeth it was closer to a bark. “I'm cold!” he declared as if that hadn't been obvious.

 

Yuuri looked at the shivering Wolfram. “Shall we go back then?”

 

Wolfram shook his head and pressed to Yuuri's side firmer. “We can't see two meters ahead us. Are you eager to break your neck?”

 

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Fine. Whatever. So, we'll just wait until it stops.”

 

They waited for fifteen minutes more.

 

“Wolfram?” Yuuri said through chattering teeth. “Despite that you are almost blue, you are also red. I think you got a sunburn.”

 

“I feel that,” Wolfram muttered. “It feels like I'm frying. But at least it's not as cold anymore…”

 

The rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun, and the sky cleared in several minutes. Yuuri and Wolfram left their shelter and joined their guards. Despite that they were trying to keep their clothes dry, they got wet anyway. Wolfram had taken a spare set of clothes for the two of them, but everything that was in the bags attached to the horses also got soaked through.

 

“Why can't I ride as I am?” Yuuri complained, trying to put his wet shirt back on, which was not so easy to do - the wet fabric stuck to his skin. Not to mention that it was very unpleasant.

 

“The king can't be riding half naked!” Wolfram said. He started putting his clothes on, too. After he was done, he closed his eyes.

 

Openmouthed, Yuuri stared at Wolfram who suddenly burst into flames. Yuuri panicked for a moment but Wolfram wasn't screaming and it didn't seem that it was hurting him any. When Wolfram's emerald eyes opened, his clothes were dry. He brushed over his dry hair, trying to set it in order.

 

“Why didn't you dry your clothes earlier?” Yuuri wondered.

 

“I would have burned them. This works only this way - fire doesn't hurt me, so when clothes are on me, they don't burn,” Wolfram explained.

 

“Got it,” Yuuri started undressing again.

 

“What are you doing?” Wolfram blinked at him. He looked at the shirt Yuuri held out for him.

 

“Be so kind, put it on and dry it for me?” Yuuri grinned.

 

Wolfram sighed and started undressing. He had no illusions of Yuuri asking to dry his underwear for him. Though, it would have been nice illusions.

 

XXXXX

 

Wolfram was wincing the entire time while Gisela was rubbing the healing balm into his skin. He was angrily glaring at the wall opposite him: it was not enough that it was hot as hell and Yuuri suddenly had the divine afflatus to go roam around among the peasants…no, the damn perverted sword had to bite him and then he had to get a sunburn and get drenched. Not to mention Yuuri said he didn't mind people staring at his ass. And at the top of it all, he didn't manage to talk Yuuri into taking care of his sunburned skin instead of Gisela. The bastard just looked at him, gave a careful smile and fast, oh how fast, he shot through the door yelling that he'd get Gisela or Conrad for him.

 

Wolfram snarled at the wall. He wasn't the one to give up easily, but this was overcoming his expectations. Yuuri was like a damn maid locked up in the highest castle on the highest mountain. Where was the damned key?! It was exhausting Wolfram. Yuuri didn't respond to anything he did, and he was slowly but steadily losing hope.

 

Wolfram sighed, closing his eyes. Yuuri said he had to think about their engagement, too. He was dreading that. Deep down he knew what Yuuri would decide. It was no secret. And it didn't matter how much he struggled, in the end it was Yuuri who would say the final word.

 

When they had reached the castle after their “picnic”, it appeared that Shori was already there. They had found Shori with Conrad and Gunter talking about the gifts that were sent to Yuuri from all over the kingdom and the allied countries and huge preparations that were still waiting for tomorrow. Yuuri got Gisela for Wolfram and joined the trio.

 

After Gisela was finished, Wolfram felt a little better. After that she took the soaked bandages off his hand and wrapped new ones. Wolfram thanked her and put his clothes on, then left the room to look for Yuuri and Shori.

 

Wolfram went to Yuuri's current workroom but found no one there. He decided that they might be at Gwendal's chambers.

 

Some parts of the castle were already decorated for tomorrow's celebration, the colorful and loud garlands and banners wrapped around the columns and hanging in the halls and corridors. There were birthday greetings and wishes for the king. Passing the decorations, Wolfram wondered what changes would come after Yuuri's birthday. He felt that he wouldn't like them.

 

TBC